1. The Field of the Invention
Implementations of the present invention relate to decorative resin lighting fixtures.
2. Background and Relevant Art
Recent trends in building design involve using one or more sets of decorative panels to add to the functional and/or aesthetic characteristics of a given structure or design space. These recent trends are due, at least in part, because there is sometimes more flexibility with how the given panel (or set of panels) is designed, compared with the original structure. For example, recent panel materials include synthetic, polymeric resin materials, which can be formed as panels to be used as partitions, walls, barriers, treatments, décor, etc.
In particular, the use of resin materials is becoming increasingly popular in sculptural and lighting applications. In general, resin materials such as these are now popular compared with decorative cast or laminated glass materials, since resin materials may be manufactured to be more resilient and to have a similar transparent, translucent, or decorative appearance as cast or laminated glass, but with less cost. In addition, resin materials tend to be more flexible in terms of manufacture and assembly because they can be relatively easily bent, molded, colored, shaped, cut, and otherwise modified in a variety of different ways. Decorative resins can also provide more flexibility compared with glass and other conventional materials at least in terms of color, degree of texture, gauge, and impact resistance. Additionally, decorative resins have a fairly wide utility since they may be formed to include a large variety of colors, images, inter-layers, and shapes.
Unfortunately, some lighting fixtures made with resin materials are designed to allow for quick, efficient, and inexpensive production. The design of such resin-based lighting fixtures may not focus on, or even allow for, full utilization of the aesthetics that resin-based materials can provide. Along similar lines, many resin-based lighting fixtures are designed for mass production. Mass produced resin-based lighting fixtures, while being relatively inexpensive, can lack uniqueness. Other lighting fixtures made with resin materials are so unique that they typically cannot be mass produced on any appreciable level without, making such unique lighting fixtures costly.
Furthermore, some lighting fixtures made with resin materials do not deliver appropriate light distribution. An inappropriate light distribution, however, can emphasize particularly unappealing features and fail to provide sufficient emphasis on certain desirable features of the lighting fixture and/or of the surrounding area. Moreover, at times, the lighting fixtures can have cumbersome or complicated configurations, which can present various maintenance challenges, including but not limited to re-lamping the lighting fixture. For example, in some instances, the user of the lighting fixture may have to at least partially disassemble the lighting fixture in order to access and change lighting elements thereof.
Accordingly, there are a number of disadvantages in resin-based lighting fixtures that can be addressed.